Heading into the 2024 college football season, the intensity gets cranked up for the Texas Longhorns and the SEC. Texas kicks off SEC play at home against the Mississippi State Bulldogs with familiar faces leading the way. The season begins on Aug. 31 with a tune-up game against Colorado State before a trip to Ann Arbor for a Big Ten-SEC showdown featuring a pair of blue blood programs.
As a whole, the SEC has dominated the college football scene for the better part of the last two decades. Since 2000, the conference has laid claim to 14 national titles. Newcomers Texas and Oklahoma each won a title in the early and mid-2000s. Both now join the SEC, effective on Jul. 1, to make this conference that much stronger in all sports.
In the post-spring NCAA FBS re-ranking from Paul Myerberg, the SEC has four of the top 10 teams with 11 schools checking into the top 50. The SEC will certainly be top heavy with plenty of teams jockeying for position in 2024. The Georgia Bulldogs look to once again claim the conference crown after falling short against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the title game.
16
Vanderbilt Commodores
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Re-Rank: No. 118
2023 Record: 2-10
The positive news for the Vanderbilt Commodores is that it can’t get much worse than where they currently are. The Dores are currently the lowest-ranked Power Four team but head coach Clark Lea is hoping to see a return to their 2022 form when they finished 5-7. Otherwise, Vanderbilt might be looking for a new head coach if they don’t see improvement and the schedule isn’t doing them any favors with six games against teams expected to be ranked when the 2024 season kicks off.
15
Mississippi State Bulldogs
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Re-Rank: No. 81
2023 Record: 5-7
The Zach Arnett era didn’t last long after he was named the head coach following Mike Leach’s sudden passing. The Mississippi State Bulldogs went with a coach that once roamed the sidelines at Ole Miss as the Rebels OC under Lane Kiffin. Lebby brought in virtually a whole new team with former Baylor QB Blake Shapen prepared to run the offense. He replaces the Bulldogs’ all-time leader passer Will Rodgers, who is now at Washington.
14
South Carolina Gamecocks
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Re-Rank: No. 75
2023 Record: 5-7
It was a rough season for the South Carolina Gamecocks and head coach Shane Beamer. Following the 2022 season, it appeared as though they could be on the rise in the SEC. However, a 2-6 start after four straight losses all but ended any postseason plans. Spencer Rattler leaves and now Beamer must turn to dual-threat LaNorris Sellers, who joined the team in the 2023 recruiting class. There will likely be some growing pains with a QB who has thrown just four passes at the collegiate level.
13
Arkansas Razorbacks
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Re-Rank: No. 73
2023 Record: 4-8
Welcome to your hot seat season Sam Pittman. The Arkansas Razorbacks will look quite a bit different with both K.J. Jefferson and Raheim Sanders playing elsehere this upcoming season. The team will instead turn to former Boise State passer Taylen Green. The positive news is they might have a dynamic rusher ready to lead the charge with former Texas quarterback Ja’Quinden Jackson who joins the Hogs after three years with Utah.
12
Auburn Tigers
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Re-rank: No. 44
2023 Record: 6-7
The Auburn Tigers are still looking for their first winning season since Gus Malzahn was roaming the sidelines in 2020. Hugh Freeze led them to a bowl appearance last season but they finished with a loss against the Maryland Terrapins. With changes to the roster Freeze is looking for better results. It might boil down to which quarterback can give them an edge in 2024.
11
Kentucky Wildcats
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Re-rank: No. 39
2023 Record: 7-6
Under the guidance of head coach Mark Stoops, the Kentucky Wildcats have seen the most sustained success in their history. The Wildcats have made a bowl game in each of the last eight seasons. If trends stay true to the history under Stoops, Kentucky should be in line for another 10-win season.
10
Florida Gators
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Re-rank: No. 33
2023 Record: 5-7
There might not be a coach under as much pressure as Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier. He has finished each of the first two seasons with seven losses each year and failed to make the postseason in 2023. Napier hasn’t really had issues on the recruiting trails with three top 20 recruiting classes since he took over. With arguably the toughest schedule in FBS, it will be an uphill battle down in the Swamp.
9
Texas A&M Aggies
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Re-rank: No. 26
2023 Record: 7-6
After speculation over the last couple of seasons, the Texas A&M Aggies finally made a change at head coach despite the steep costs to replace him. Mike Elko returns after two years with the Duke Blue Devils. The team should be better defensively, what remains to be seen is how the offense looks under Collin Klein who Elko hired away from Kansas State.
8
Missouri Tigers
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Re-rank: No. 21
2023 Record: 11-2
7
Tennessee Volunteers
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Re-rank: No. 13
2023 Record: 9-4
Josh Heupel’s offense put the SEC on notice when Hendon Hooker and the Tennessee Vols lit up the scoreboard on a weekly basis in 2022. Joe Milton’s unit wasn’t quite at that level but now the team turns to Nico Iamaleava. Top pass catcher from last year, Bru McCoy returns along with former Tulane WR Chris Brazzell II who transferred in over the offseason.
6
Oklahoma Sooners
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Re-rank: No. 12
2023 Record: 10-3
The Oklahoma Sooners and head coach Brent Venables were much better in year 2 than his first year in Norman. They won the Red River Rivalry matchup with Texas and finished with double-digit wins. The big question is how does this offense look with QB Dillon Gabriel and playcaller Jeff Lebby both gone. 2023 five-star signee Jackson Arnold is ready to run the offense and Seth Littrell will take over playcalling duties after returning to his alma mater in 2023.
5
Ole Miss Rebels
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Re-rank: No. 11
2023 Record: 11-2
The transfer portal king is bringing plenty of players to “The Sip”. Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels are now hoping to takeover the SEC. It will be quite the task given how they have played against Alabama and Georgia in recent years. Can Kiffin finally get over the hump with a reloaded roster?
4
Alabama Crimson Tide
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Re-rank: No. 7
2023 Record: 12-2
Replacing a legend is a very tall task. Kalen DeBoer comes over from Washington after leading the Huskies to the CFP national title game to run the Alabama Crimson Tide. Jalen Milroe will return as the starting quarterback with many new faces joining him in Tuscaloosa. Can DeBoer keep it rolling for the Tide in 2024?
3
LSU Tigers
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Re-rank: No. 6
2023 Record: 10-3
Replacing a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback is never easy but that is what LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly is tasked with in 2024. Garrett Nussmeier has patiently waited for his opportunity after losing the QB competition to Jayden Daniels in 2022 and 2023. After back-to-back 10-win seasons, can the Bayou Bengals return to the SEC title game and compete for a national championship?
2
Texas Longhorns
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Re-rank: No. 3
2023 Record: 12-2
The Texas Longhorns are looking to follow up their Big 12 title season with the SEC championship in 2024. While losing a plethora of talent to the NFL draft, Steve Sarkisian has loaded up the roster once again through the transfer portal. Isaiah Bond of Alabama and Andrew Mukuba of Clemson should be key additions for this roster.
1
Georgia Bulldogs
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Re-rank: No. 1
2023 Record: 13-1
No surprises with the Georgia Bulldogs taking the spot in the SEC and college football. Carson Beck returns for another season to lead the offense and they should be among the favorites to win the national championship in the first ever 12-team playoff field. The Dawgs come to Austin on Oct. 19, one week after the Red River Rivalry in Dallas.
